Chain Eateries Promenade Into Colorado Springs and Castle Rock

There's some sort of weird cloning project happening south of metro Denver — and it involves strip malls and chain restaurants. The Promenade Shops at Briargate isn't a new shopping center, but there's plenty of new activity there. Modern Market — remember? the chain that used to be known as Modmarket? — opened its first Colorado Springs outlet there yesterday, which will soon be followed by a Bad Daddy's Burger Bar and something called Pie Five Pizza (which started in Dallas and has already landed in Longmont and Aurora — who knew?). Briargate is home to several other national chains, but at least shoppers have the option of hitting Bird Dog BBQ, a Colorado Springs original serving Oklahoma-style barbecue.

About thirty miles to the north, the Promenade at Castle Rock is welcoming customers (possibly the same ones who had petitioned to block the project in the first place) to the first eatery to open there: a branch of Denver's own Mad Greens. The salad stop will soon be joined by Tokyo Joe's, Cafe Rio, Kneaders Bakery & Cafe, Jersey Mike's Subs and Mod Pizza (not to be confused with Modmarket — except by corporate lawyers).

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Mark Antonation is the Westword Food & Drink Editor. He got his start by eating at and writing about every restaurant on Federal Boulevard and continues to cover the metro area's diverse international food scene, as well as the city's quickly changing restaurant landscape.